More Liam!…Oh. And Batman, too.

There’s a certain shakiness in the average genre fan’s reactions to the upcoming Batman Begins. You can feel that they want to love it. But there are so many past indiscretions to get through. (Batman and Robin, anyone?)

Well, there’s a whole other reason to watch it, besides the delightful Christian Bale. Star Wars’ own Liam Neeson reprises his role as a Qui-Gon-like mentor to the exploring Bruce Wayne.

Check out this trailer focused almost exclusively on Liam Neeson’s character.

It’s a Ring Thing

If anyone ever tries to tell you that the Swiss aren’t funny, don’t believe ’em.

“The Ring Thing” (out 16 December in Switzerland) is a spoof of “Lord of the Rings” and looks absolutely hilarious.

Be sure to download the trailer. Worth seeing if only to witness Gandalf smoking pipe weed out of an Alpine horn, Legolas as a blonde bombshell, and some type of orgy perhaps involving big wheels of cheese.

Here’s hoping for a wide release on DVD with English subtitles.

Natalie Portman to play Idaho Jones?

The rumor mill is buzzing that Natalie Portman wants to work with George Lucas again:

Portman, 23 , obviously doesn’t have to break into cold sweat to reflect on her time on the Star Wars films. There’s already talking about the actress working with George Lucas again on another multi-million dollar franchise entry, Indiana Jones. Even before filming had wrapped on The Phantom Menace, Portman let the director know that she’d love a part in the next Indiana Jones movie back, and the word is, he might have found a slot for her in the anticipated sequel. Smells like Indiana Jones has an offspring.

For Star Wars fans, that could be more than a little weird.